The invention relates to a convoluted boot assembly having a longitudinal axis A for sealing an annular gap between an outer joint part of a tripode joint and a shaft connected to an inner joint part of the tripode joint. At their aperture end, on the outer circumference, outer joint parts of tripode joints have a clover-leaf shape, i.e. in accordance with the tripode arms and the roller assemblies of the inner joint part. They comprise three raised portions and three recesses which are distributed around the circumference with identical pitch angles. They therefore do not meet the preconditions for directly slipping on rotationally-symmetrical, i.e., round convoluted boots.
This is the reason why it is common practice to use convoluted boots which comprise an adapter ring and a boot portion connected thereto. The adapter ring can be slipped by means of a correspondingly designed inner face on to the clover-leaf-shaped outer face of the outer joint part.
DE 101 23 216 A1 shows such a convoluted boot assembly wherein the adapter ring is connected to the boot portion by thermal welding or by gluing. The adapter ring is provided with uniformly circumferentially distributed regions with radial thickenings. Because of these accumulations of masses, it is possible, during the production of the adapter ring, for there to occur indentations and shrink holes. Furthermore, such accumulations of masses lead to uneven cooling rates of the adapter ring, as a result of which different shrinkage rates lead to an increase in the distortion tendency.
From EP 0 915 264 A2 there is known a convoluted boot assembly which is produced by blow molding and which comprises a convoluted boot and an adapter ring integrally connected thereto. The adapter ring—in a cross-sectional view—comprises inner wall portions adapted to an outer joint part and a cylindrical outer wall portion. Between the inner wall portions and the cylindrical outer wall portion there are provided radially extending resilient ribs whose thickness approximately corresponds to the thickness of the wall portions.
EP 1 182 372 A2 shows a similar convoluted boot assembly which is integrally produced by blow molding and comprises a convoluted boot for being connected to a shaft and an adapter ring for being connected to an outer joint part. On its radial outside, the adapter ring comprises a cylindrical contour and, on its radial inside, a contour in the shape of three leaves which is adapted to the outer contour of the outer joint part. In the regions formed in such way with a radially greater wall thickness, there is provided a plurality of parallel slots in planes positioned perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the convoluted boot assembly.